How many Americans and Canadians and other expats live in San Miguel de Allende?
Ian T. Clement - Clement and Associates
There are about 10,000 expats in San Miguel de Allende. This figure includes both full time and expats who come seasonally. I certainly see more foreign faces when it’s wintertime, and I would say that when it comes to my office, the month of May is always slow. There certainly are times in the year where many or fewer people from abroad are in San Miguel de Allende, but it’s not like a beach town where you’ll have a completely dead 6 months, and then a completely...
There are about 10,000 expats in San Miguel de Allende. This figure includes both full time and expats who come seasonally. I certainly see more foreign faces when it’s wintertime, and I would say that when it comes to my office, the month of May is always slow. There certainly are times in the year where many or fewer people from abroad are in San Miguel de Allende, but it’s not like a beach town where you’ll have a completely dead 6 months, and then a completely alive 6 months.
It’s a big county. I think that the city of San Miguel de Allende proper has 80,000 – 100,000 people now. That would mean 10% are expats or foreigners.
(Meal in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
Yes indeed !!! There are many Panamanian US trained doctors working at private hospitals in Panama. Probably hundreds !!! Trained at some of the best hospitals in the US (Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Jackson Memorial, etc. etc.), they will speak fluent English and have diplomas of some of the best medical schools in the world hanging on their office walls !
Yes indeed !!! There are many Panamanian US trained doctors working at private hospitals in Panama. Probably hundreds !!! Trained at some of the best hospitals in the US (Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Jackson Memorial, etc. etc.), they will speak fluent English and have diplomas of some of the best medical schools in the world hanging on their office walls !
What should I be most concerned about regarding retiring abroad?
Harry Hunt - ownboquete
First of all, don't be scared. I know it's a foreign country and everything is a little bit different, but in Panama at least nobody is going to attack you or assault you at least in Boquete and actually most of the interior and even Panama City is pretty safe with the possible exception of Chorillo or some of the rougher parts of town late at night. Most Panamanians are God fearing Christians and very non-confrontational, so you have a better chance of being killed by an...
First of all, don't be scared. I know it's a foreign country and everything is a little bit different, but in Panama at least nobody is going to attack you or assault you at least in Boquete and actually most of the interior and even Panama City is pretty safe with the possible exception of Chorillo or some of the rougher parts of town late at night. Most Panamanians are God fearing Christians and very non-confrontational, so you have a better chance of being killed by an American than a Panamanian and I personally feel you are most at risk dealing with a lawyer here than at any other time. I only know two or three lawyers that I really trust and they are all women.
Second of all, most expat communities are like a college mixer where everybody is new, nobody was born here and everyone is a little unsure and uncertain about things and you find some people who become your friends and some you may not like that much. It might be better not to get too drunk and insult everybody, but almost any and every behavior happens and we seem to be pretty tolerant in our old and middle age.
There are all kinds of cool and experienced people in Panama so just relax and be nice and if you listen carefully you will be able to pick someone that will be a good friend and you may join some group that does something like castrate dogs. As a matter of fact there is a group in Boquete that has spayed and neutered over 5,000 dogs and we don't have starving dogs and packs of violent dogs roaming the streets and the Panamanians that thought we were all nuts when this all started years ago now see the benefits and are bringing their dogs and cats to the clinics held on the last weekend of the month.
Living in Panama is easy, there are some differences, but don't worry about a traffic stop where some of the police carry machine guns. Just show them your passport and don't act like an idiot and smile too much. Just be respectful, treat the officer as you would a strange policeman in America and if you haven't done anything wrong you will be driving down the road in no time. If you don't have your passport or were speeding the officer might suggest you settle the matter by paying the fine to him. This used to happen a lot more frequently and everyone used to carry $5 to buy some instant justice on the side of the road. These days you usually get a ticket that the policeman writes on his cell phone and you have thirty days to pay it in the district you are cited in.
Try to be tolerant and understanding. You are in a country that is changing rapidly. Most people took the bus a few years ago and now almost everybody drives even if they have never heard of driver education or rules of the road. Just remember, any car can do anything at any time. Be prepared, keep your eyes open and expect the unexpected.
I have lived here for ten years now and survived quite nicely. Try to behave, be nice and be cool and when you are confronted with something totally different from what you are used to try and understand that this is their country and fifty years ago it was probably no different in America. If possible don't do anything you are going to regret or be ashamed of tomorrow. Most of all have fun and make some memories that you will enjoy sharing with friends and family back in the States.
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made...
There are several specialty furniture stores in the Algarve. There are also furniture stores in the big malls but what you could also do in Algarve is order furniture from the northern part of Portugal, which is one of the best-known areas for the manufacture of furniture using local woods.
There is place in the north of Portugal called Paços de Ferreira, which is essentially the furniture capital of Portugal. Often, people who want furniture made from certain types of woods would have pieces made to order from Paços de Ferreira and have them shipped down to the Algarve.
We have a good amount of quality furniture in Portugal. The quality is very good and the pricing is incredibly great compared to international standards. If I were in Latin America and getting some local hardwood made by a local person, I am pretty certain that I could get it cheaper there but if you were moving to a country and wanted local handmade furniture out of cherry or oak, you would find the price and quality very good here in Portugal.
If you want ready-made furniture from popular brands, we do have IKEA, which is being built near Loulé, so for all those who want a modern, Northern European look, they can go to IKEA. At the moment, the closest IKEA would be in Spain, in Seville or in Lisbon, which is the capital of Portugal. Aside from furniture, you would also find stores that sell rugs, carpets, and accessory stores. There is one accessory store that we like going to because it is high end but not excessively expensive. It’s called A Loja Gato Preto, which literally translates to “the shop of the black cat”. They have some very nice home décor pieces.
(Hampshire dressing table available at the Furniture Store, an English company with an outlet in the Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)
What would my neighbors be like in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?
Hannah Weber - Vanilla Hills Lodge
The kind of neighbors that you would have in Cayo depends on where you decide to live and the amount of money that you intend to spend on housing. If you spend around $500 Belize (US $250) a month on rent, you would be living in a typical Belizean neighborhood with small lots and small houses.
If you spend around $1,000 to $1,400 Belize (US $500 to $700), typically, your neighbors would be other expats or Belizeans who can afford a bigger home. They...
The kind of neighbors that you would have in Cayo depends on where you decide to live and the amount of money that you intend to spend on housing. If you spend around $500 Belize (US $250) a month on rent, you would be living in a typical Belizean neighborhood with small lots and small houses.
If you spend around $1,000 to $1,400 Belize (US $500 to $700), typically, your neighbors would be other expats or Belizeans who can afford a bigger home. They would be Belizeans who work in banks or in various management positions. These neighbors would probably have more similar values to you. Of course it also depend on other factors like cultural background or religion. Belize is a melting pot of different cultures.
Who among us hasn’t been cheered during an otherwise down time or learned an important life lesson from a dog?
About 20 years ago, when I was having a difficult time in a particularly tense business negotiation, I stopped for a moment and happened to look away from my computer screen and phone and towards the floor. There, with new eyes, I saw Cookie, the family dog, fast asleep near my desk, as usual, her complete contentment and lack of concern in sharp contrast to my...
BANKING-- despite all their assurances that you have set up all the correct procedures and accounts, there WILL be problems. Not in your host country, but 'back home'. These will take the form of excessive fees, limitations on the maximum allowed currency, changes in their regulations, both Governmental and internal bank rules, staff changes, lock-outs for internet transactions and many, many others.
Should you try snail mail it may take weeks of effort; I once took a certified bank check wih...
The expat story "Things are a changing here…” about the situation in Coronado, Panama, does not present a knowledgeable picture of the area. It was written with no updated information and worse, distorted facts.
The area is booming with new low-rise beach condos and high-rises, but low-rise condos have priority so as to keep the area less crowded and there is no obstruction of sea and mountain views, which are...